Circuses and Candy
by Okori Yo
Summary: [4th Doctor] What will happen when the Doctor heads out for a stroll?


**Disclaimer**: I do not own Doctor Who

**Notes**: This is a Fourth Doctor fanfic, and the first Fourth Doctor story I have written. Comments would be great, so please drop a line when you have finished reading.

Circuses and Candy

"Hm…" The Doctor muttered, glancing around perplexedly at the landscape. This was not Polaris. Not unless two of the star system's three suns had exploded without harming the planets within it. Which obviously wasn't possible.

Locking the TARDIS doors behind him, the man pulled his long scarf out of a pocket and wound it several times around his neck. Determined to find out where we was, the Time Lord did a closer inspection of the area, examining everything he came across. He was companionless at the moment, Sarah Jane having decided to stay behind in the TARDIS due to a nasty cold. Knowing that she needed to get better, the Doctor had left her there, along with K-9 and a cup of hot tea. Besides, from the looks of things, they had landed back on Earth, not on Polaris like he had originally planned.

But that was just fine with the Doctor. Smiling, he decided to head out and explore his surroundings and stretch his legs a bit. Besides, an adventure could be right around the corner! Pulling out his floppy hat from another pocket, the man jammed it on his head and set out to see what he could find, whistling cheerily as he sauntered along. Feeling a bit hungry, the Time Lord rummaged around in yet another pocket, eventually yanking out a crumpled up brown paper bag. Grinning broadly, he picked out a Jelly Baby and popped it in his mouth, chewing on it slowly. Ah, the wonderful taste of candy! The Doctor realized he must someday track down the inventor of the Jelly Babies. Whoever came up with them deserved a medal.

"Good day, kind sir! Might you spare a moment to listen to our tragic tale?" The Doctor was pulled from his candy musings by a voice off to his left. Turning to face the two newcomers, the Time Lord opened his mouth to respond, but stopped and stared instead. Both men wore bright yellow slickers that went to their knees and red bandanas on their heads. Glancing down, the man saw that they also were wearing cargo pants and mismatched sandals. Looking up, he peered closer and saw that they were identical twins. Both had dark brown eyes and curly red hair poked out from beneath the brighter bandanas. Wondering how he ever could have missed them, the Doctor smiled brightly at them and replied. "I'm in no rush to go anywhere. Quite the opposite, in fact. So please, tell me what has happened to you."

The twin on the left grinned and spoke. "Excellent decision, sir. My brother and I are in desperate need of a performer for our troupe, due to the fact that a close companion of ours recently left the company. Sadly, he did not recommend a replacement for us, and we are now left with a vacant spot that cries out to be taken." Stopping, the twin on the right continued. "You see, my brother and I decided to depart from our troupe for a day and tour the countryside to try and locate a suitable gentlemen who would be willing to fulfil our wish. But our efforts were in vain, for not one notable person did we spy. That is, until we heard your cheer-filled whistle, which sounded like a trumpet to our ears! So, would you possibly agree to fill the role? At least for a day?"

The Doctor only had to think for moment to realize that he did want to fill the role. Sarah Jane needed time to recover, and they both needed a break. Grinning at the pair, he popped another Jelly baby in his mouth, chewed it, swallowed, then replied, "Your wish is my command. When do I start?" The twins stared at him for moment, then returned the smile. "Fabulous, absolutely fabulous. Just follow us! We'll take you there!" one cried, dashing off towards a small strand of trees. The remaining brother chuckled and introduced himself. "I am Remus, and my brother is Romulus. May I inquire as to your name?"

Falling into step beside Remus, the Time Lord held out the paper bag. "I'm the Doctor. Want a Jelly Baby?" Taking one, the twin smiled, brown eyes watching the Doctor carefully. "Well then Doctor, it is lovely to meet you. Aren't you the least bit interested in what you agreed to?" Lifting his eyes to the blue sky above, he replied, "No, not really. Surprises are what makes life interesting, and I'm not the type to ruin a good surprise. Unlike some of my previous companions…" Trailing off, the Doctor shrugged and smiled peacefully. The sky was clear, no aliens were attacking, and he had a bag full of delicious candy with him. Life was good.

"With an attitude like that, you'll fit right in. Our camp is just beyond those trees." The Time Lord followed the man's finger and squinted, making out a splash of colour among the green and brown of the trees. He figured it was probably a tent of some sort, but since he didn't know what kind of troupe he had joined up with, it could be almost anything. Smiling, the Doctor picked up his pace, eager to see what was in store for him. He didn't notice Remus' worried look as the younger man hurried after him.

- - -

Bushing dead leaves off of his scarf, the Doctor stepped out of the tress and gazed around in wonder. In front of him was a large striped canvas tent. The vertical stripes came in every colour of the rainbow, and were arranged in no particular order, as if a giant had just randomly sewed different strips of fabric together. Even though the colours clashed, he still liked it. Besides the huge tent, about fifty people were milling around in front of it, dressed in a wide variety of costumes. To the Doctor's left, a Roman solider chatted with a circus clown, who was juggling six glass balls and talking at the same time. Smiling, the man looked to his right and saw Romulus waving at him. Chewing on a Jelly Baby, the Time Lord strolled over, noting that he was flanked by two very beautiful ladies in Renaissance dresses. Compared to the people around him, the Doctor's outfit almost appeared…normal. Frowning slightly at the idea of even remotely being associated with the word 'normal', he jumped slightly when the red-headed man slapped him on the back and gestured to the two woman.

"Gertrude, Catherine, this handsome man is the Doctor. He will be filling the role that our dearest Merlin left empty for today. Please, tell him what our troupe does, and explain to him what his role is." Giggling, both woman nodded, eyeing the Doctor curiously.

"Of course we will, Romulus. He'll be in very capable hands." replied Catherine, slipping her arm around the Doctor's waist and guiding him towards the brightly coloured tent. Surprised at the sudden motion, he didn't resist, instead tipping the brown bag her way. "Care for some candy?" he asked politely, his question being received with laughter from the black-haired female. Confused by her reaction, he opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, but was stopped when Gertrude laid a finger on his lips. But she merely smiled and shook her head slightly. Raising and eyebrow, the Doctor shrugged and stuffed the bag back in his pocket. Whoever these people were, they were certainly odd.

"Alright Doctor, let us explain what we do here." Catherine murmured, batting her eyes at him. When he ignored it, she chuckled and continued. "This is a travelling performing troupe, which means we go around Britain and Scotland putting of shows for anyone who wants to see us. As you can see, our troupe does acts from every era of history, from the ancient Greek tragedies to modern day stand-up comedy. As you and Remus arrived, Romulus mentioned something about you taking over Merlin's job for a day. Did he tell you want that was?"

"No, although I hope it's nothing too dangerous. Sarah Jane would probably be very upset with me if I got hurt." the Doctor answered mildly, smiling widely at the thought. As much as he loved adventure, his companion would not be pleased if he got into trouble without her.

"Oh, don't worry, the job is completely harmless. You'll just be introducing the acts for our two performances today. But I'm sure you can handle it." The woman purred, tightening her grip on his middle. Tugging at his scarf, he grinned at her and nodded enthusiastically. He had always had a thing for large crowds of people, and being the MC for the shows sounded like a perfect way to spend his free time.

Giggling, Catherine smiled at him and let him go. Realizing that they were at the entrance to the tent, the Time Lord peered into the gloom, his sharp ears picking up a multitude of sounds from within. Turning back to the two woman to ask what he was supposed to do, he blinked in surprise, seeing them nowhere in sight. Shrugging, the Doctor re-arranged his scarf, dug out a Jelly Baby, and strode into the tent, chewing on the candy thoughtfully.

"Doctor! Over here!" Swinging his head around, the man saw Remus' head poking out from behind a curtain. Walking over, he slipped inside the makeshift room and was ushered by the twin into a chair facing a mirror. Patting him on the shoulder, the man said softly, "Wait here for now. I'll be back shortly with the program for the show." Nodding, the Doctor watched the man vanish behind another curtain, then leaned back and examined himself in the mirror. Noting a few leaves he had missed earlier, he picked them out and then ran a hand through his hair. Personally, he didn't see why Catherine had any interest in him. Sarah Jane often insisted it was his personality, but the Doctor didn't see that much of a change from his previous forms.

The Time Lord waited patiently for about fifteen minutes, listening to the noise level increase as more people arrived and filed into the tent. It sounded like there was going to be a fair-sized crowd on, which was odd, considering that it was the middle of the afternoon. But it could very well be a holiday or a weekend, he had no way of knowing. Either way, the Time Lord wad sure that they were going to enjoy the show. Closing his eyes, the man concentrated, narrowing his hearing to listen for a select number of individuals. Almost immediately, the voices of Remus and Romulus entered his range of hearing.

"Romulus, that's not fair! We can't do that to him now, not after we worked so hard to find him! Besides, he mentioned he had a companion waiting for him. What are we going to do about that person?" Remus hissed, sounding nervous.

"Oh, don't be a such a push-over, brother! You know he's the only one who can help us. Even Merlin said so, and you know how that old coot is when it comes to these matters. About the companion…well, we know where they are, anyway. Plus, our scouts will alert us to any movement of the TARDIS. I doubt the Doctor was out for a little stroll, anyway. Why else would he just leave his precious box on a hillside?"

"But…but…"

"No buts. We both decided on this, and we are going to go through with the plan." Romulus said firmly. "Now, go give the program to the Doctor so we can get started. I haven't waited 26 years for you to back out at the last hour."

"Alright…" Remus muttered, and the Doctor jerked his head up, and was peering intently at the mirror when the red-headed man entered. Looking doubtful, he handed the Time Lord a sheet of paper and knelt down beside him. Giving him a weak smile, the younger man quickly explained what the Doctor was to do.

"You are the person who will introduce our fabulous troupe, and entertain the crowd between acts. Try to be light-hearted, and as funny as you possibly can be. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy the show." Squeezing his shoulder, Remus stood up and left. Gazing after him thoughtfully, the considered his options. He had apparently been recruited for some purpose, but he didn't know what. Yet. Deciding to keep a close eye on each and every one of the performances, the man stood up and brushed the creases out of his clothes.

After making sure he wasn't going to trip over his scarf, the Doctor made his way to the backstage area, quickly scanning the paper as he walked. If the program was anything to go by, it was going to be quite a show. From juggling acts to a mock gladiator fight, the acting troupe did it all. Smiling, he looked up as someone laid a hand on his shoulder. His smile grew wider when he saw that it was Catherine. She was still wearing the Renaissance dress, but had added makeup and jewellery to the outfit. The Time Lord noted that she was looking even more beautiful than before, but opted to keep his observation silent. "Hello again. Ready for your act?" he said instead.

"Yes, I'm ready. A bit nervous, but that's normal, considering that there is such a large crowd today. We don't normally get this many for an afternoon show. What about you? Are you nervous at all?" the woman asked, running a pale hand through his dark curls. Not minding the attention in the least, he shook his head energetically. "No, no, not at all. Compared to what I normally do every day, this is quite a relaxing treat for me."

"I'm sure it must be. Sadly, I must go, but will you promise to watch my performance closely?"

"Of course I will. Have fun!" the Doctor replied cheerfully, giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder. Catherine gave him a grateful smile, then hurried off. Chuckling at how strange humans could be, he took a final glance through the program and moved to where a stage hand indicated he should stand.

Glancing around, he spotted Romulus and Remus over in a corner, in what seemed to be a hissed argument. Wishing that he could listen in but knowing that he couldn't, the Doctor instead peeked out through the curtains at the large crowd. Rows of folding chairs had been set up in front of the stage, and they were mostly full. Feeling his excitement growing as the lights dimmed, the Time Lord did a final check of his outfit, threw his shoulders back, and got the signal from the stage hand to go on.

Putting a welcoming smile on his face, the Doctor parted the curtains and strode onstage, a spotlight from above immediately illuminating his figure. The buzz in the crowd died out, and he cleared his throat. Throwing out his arms, he raised his voice and called, "Welcome, one and all! Today, you will be watching history come alive before your eyes, performed by the Historical Guild of Britannia. I will be your MC for the afternoon, so please, sit back and enjoy the show!" Bowing, the Doctor stepped aside to sit on a designated stool and listened to the applause following his introduction. Leaning back, he smiled as the brightly colourer performers entered from the wings. This was going to be interesting…

- - -

The Doctor whistled cheerfully as he made his way through the crowd of guests and actors backstage. Both the afternoon and evening shows had gone off without a hitch, and the audience had loved every minute of it. Well, he had too, but he wasn't about to say it aloud. All the shows had been wonderfully thought out and performed right down to the most minute detail. Catherine's act had been a showstopper; the woman having sung an old English folk song about a wife mourning her lost love. As he had promised, the Time Lord had paid close attention to the lyrics, and noticed some small differences between Catherine's version and the original. He suspected that the singer was trying to tell him something, but hadn't figured out what.

"Doctor! Over here!" Swinging to his left, the Time Lord smiled broadly as he saw Catherine waving at him from her make-up chair. Making his way over, he knelt down beside her, digging around in his coat pocket for his paper bag. Pulling it out, he chewed thoughtfully on a Jelly Baby while the woman took off the last of her lipstick. "Well now, what did you think of that?" she asked giving him a charming smile. Chuckling in return, he answered "Both shows were absolutely wonderful. I'm really glad Romulus and Remus found me so that I could be a part of this, even if it was only for a day. That reminds me…I'll have to get in touch with Sarah Jane. No doubt she's worried about me. Probably thinks I've gone off and gotten myself into trouble again."

"Well, I can walk you back to where they found you, if you wish. I'm not needed here." the woman offered, standing up and brushing off her dress. Rising, the Doctor was about to object when she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Please Doctor, say yes, if you want to see your friend again." Startled, the Time Lord quickly nodded and drew back, replying loudly, "Why of course I'll accept your kind offer. It's a wonderful night out, and the walk will do us both some good."

Holding out his arm, he smiled as Catherine slipped her arm through it and they proceeded to walk out of the huge striped tent. Once they had left the bustle of the troupe behind and were moving through the small strand of trees, the Doctor lowered his voice and asked, "I assume something is wrong. I know it has something to do with me, but I'm not sure what. Do you mind elaborating?"

"Certainly." Pushing a tree branch out of her way, Catherine continued. "First, may I ask how you learned of this plan?"

"Oh, call it a case of selective hearing…I happen to have a knack for it." he replied lightly.

"I'm sure you do, Doctor. Now, Romulus, Remus and myself are not humans. I can't tell you where or exactly what we are, because frankly, none of us know. We were left here on Earth 26 years ago, most of our memories gone and in the bodies of humans. Since then, we have been planning to try and find out who we are and get back home."

The Doctor nodded, thinking about the explanation. It seemed plausible enough, and he sensed that the woman was telling the truth. "So Romulus thought that a Time Lord like myself would be able to figure out where you came from and take you back? I'd be happy to help, you didn't have to hide your objectives from me."

"Well…you see…Romulus wants to take you by force, and not release you even when we do get back home. He mentioned something about using the Time Lord's power to get revenge on the people who did this to us." Catherine murmured softly, looking uncomfortable.

"Ah. That changes things then." Remembering what he had overheard earlier about Merlin, he frowned and asked. "Then who is this Merlin person? Should I be concerned about him?"

"Merlin? Goodness, no. No one really knows who he is, but he was the person who found us all those years ago and suggested that we could use the power of the Time Lords to get home. He is nothing more than a friend." Catherine replied, sounding shocked at the idea.

"A friend who just happened to leave when I arrived…curious. By the way, Romulus said that he had sent scouts out to make sure my TARDIS didn't move. Any idea where they are?"

"I've been making sure that they haven't seen us, Doctor. Oh dear…this isn't good." The Doctor sighed as he caught sight of what Catherine was talking about. They had reached the area were he had left the police box, but the twins were already waiting for them.

Remus was leaning against the side of the TARDIS, looking worried, but Romulus was standing in front of it, arms folded. Releasing Catherine's arm, the Time Lord whispered, "I'll try and lure those two away from my ship. If I am successful, go inside and tell Sarah Jane and K-9 what has happened. If not…run." The singer nodded, and the Doctor slipped a spare TARDIS key into her palm.

"Good luck, Doctor." she called softly as he strode towards the brothers. He smiled grimly and muttered, "I'll probably need it."

As he moved towards the men, the moon burst out from behind the clouds, illuminating the hillside with a silvery light. Smirking, Romulus shifted into a fighting stance, snarling, "Sorry Doctor, but you're coming with us now. If you don't want Catherine or your companion to get hurt, I suggest you come along quietly."

Tugging absently at his scarf, the Doctor answered, "Sorry, but I've had that threat used against me too many times for it to be effective. You have to be a bit more original than that, Romulus." Seeing that Remus still hadn't moved, he called, "What about you Remus? Aren't you going to help your brother fight me?" Looking even more uncertain, the red-headed man simply shook his head.

Snorting, his brother eyed the Doctor, then charged at him. Smiling, he side-stepped the attack, deciding to taunt Romulus. "Well, it seems both your companions are traitors, Romulus. What do you think about that?"

"Turncoats, the lot of them! But that doesn't matter. I don't need them to defeat you!" the twin spat back, whirling around and throwing multiple punches at the Doctor. Expecting the attacks, he moved backwards, but was not fast enough to dodge the kick that came afterwards. Wincing in pain, the Time Lord saw that there was a sizable gap between them and the TARDIS. He signalled Catherine, who quickly darted over and unlocked the door, ushering Remus inside before entering herself.

The Doctor allowed Romulus to hit him a few more times, buying time for the two to get inside before ducking a punch and ramming the man with his shoulder. Stumbling backwards, he cried out as the Time Lord knocked him down, quickly wrapping his long scarf multiple times around his neck. Giving a hard jerk, the Doctor glared at the red-haired man, holding the ends of the scarf in one hand. As Romulus tried to loosen the scarf, gasping for breath, the Time Lord dug around in his pocket and pulled out the crumpled brown bag with the Jelly Babies.

Seeing Romulus's eyes widen at the sight of the candy, the Doctor picked one out and tossed it in the air a few times. "Your brother didn't eat the Jelly Baby I offered him when we first met. And Catherine flat-out refused to have one. At first, I thought it was because you three didn't like sweet food, but after some thinking, I realized that it was because sugar is a death sentence to you. I guess your original bodies couldn't process the compound, and the trait still remained after you landed on Earth." Smiling down at the man, the Doctor continued. "Now, normally I try to avoid death as much as possible, but this is a different case. So…want some candy?" he asked, eyes narrowed.

"You…you'll never…kill me…with…that!" Romulus wheezed, struggling against the Doctor's grip. "How about we test that theory, then?" he replied, leaning in closer.

- - -

The Doctor entered the TARDIS, holding his scarf in one hand and an empty brown bag in the other. Seeing Catherine and Remus' curious looks, he simply shook his head and asked quietly, "How's Sarah Jane?"

"She's asleep, and the…dog…is with her." Catherine replied softly, going over and laying a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. Giving her a weak smile, he tossed both the scarf and the bag in a corner and went over to Remus. The man was sitting on the floor, looking miserable.

"I had to do it. You can hate me for it, but there was no other way. I'm sorry…" Nodding, Remus looked up, his brown eyes watering. "I know, Doctor. In a way, I'm happy that he's gone. Can….can we go home now?"

"Of course." Moving over to the TARDIS console, the Doctor started pushing buttons and pulling levers. Feeling and arm slip around his waist, he glanced over at Catherine, who smiled and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?" Returning her smile, the Doctor shook his head. "No. Just stand back and hold onto something. I expect that this will be a rough ride."

Chuckling, she moved back and watched as the Time Lord tore around the centre of the room. The TARDIS wheezed, chugged, then the central pillar started to move up and down, signalling the machine's entrance into the Time Vortex.


End file.
